England leads Group L after dominant victory over Croatia at World Cup 2026

England got off to a winning start at the 2026 World Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over Croatia in Group L, establishing themselves at the top of the group. Manager Thomas Tuchel's side delivered an impressive performance, with captain Harry Kane scoring twice and Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford each adding a goal. Following the match, Tuchel praised his team's aggressive approach, explaining that he had instructed his players at halftime to take risks and be courageous in their pursuit of victory.

The England match was the standout result in a busy round of Group L fixtures. Ghana secured a dramatic late equalizer through Caleb Yirenkyi in the 95th minute against Panama, leaving both teams level on points with England. Colombia cruised past Uzbekistan 3-1 with goals from Daniel Muñoz, Luis Díaz and Jáminton Campaz, claiming three points in the group.

Elsewhere at the tournament, Portugal stumbled in an unexpected 1-1 draw with DR Congo. João Neves gave Roberto Martinez's side an early lead with a header in the sixth minute, but Portugal failed to build on the advantage. DR Congo earned their deserved equalizer through Yoane Wissa just before halftime, denying Portugal what would have been a straightforward victory. The result meant that Cristiano Ronaldo remained goalless in the opening round, unable to match the scoring feats of other global superstars competing at the tournament.